Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
Wokeness doesn't come from the top of government, it's the ideology of present day elites and it's advancing through society day-by-day regardless of politics.
You'd be right to say that only Government action can stop it, though.
So, now it’s “woke” to say that children and young adults should be having fun? Nonsense! It’s plain common sense. Nothing to do with “elites”.
What you “anti-woke” chancers want is for children and young adults to be effectively enslaved by the state. Shame on you!
I am with you on this Stuart. Those of us who are old enough to remember the enslaved gymnasts of eastern Europe who were even in some cases inseminated and then aborted because it gave the young girls just that little bit of more suppleness or who were force fed diets of steroids with horrific consequences to their health all in the name of glory for some tin pot dictator can see where this leads.
Sport is not just about winning. If it were it is not worth doing. Athletes need to be treated with respect and develop as people not as automatons. There is nothing woke about stopping sexual or physical harrassment of young athletes in the name of some glory for the institution. It leads to bad things.
Thank you for your support David.
This is a topic very close to my heart. I have a lot of experience in the area, both joy and sorrow. Both historic and current.
I suspect that most people have never been anywhere near the strange world of elite sport, and therefore don’t really understand it. That said, PB does have several hundred experts on Covid19 who don’t have a degree in medicine, so why should the world of sport be any different?
I've seen this with my own son in his drive to get into Oxford. He decided he wanted it and went for it 100%. He gave up a lot of other things because he recognised it was necessary to get to that level and worked incredibly hard to achieve it. The absolutely critical thing is that this was his choice. He wanted it and he's got his medal.
It's the same with elite sport. If the kid is self driven and determined by all means give him all the technical support and skilled coaching that we can. But it must, must remain his or her choice. The moment someone else is doing the driving, as opposed to supporting, things go wrong.
And if the coach believes the athlete has the ability to get the gold with that extra 1-2%? Will they be thanked for not pushing for it. All of those 4th place finishers will find the coaching advice they ignored ringing in their ears right now and all of the previous gold medal winners remember standing on the top step.
As you say, it's a choice, if they aren't doing what it takes to get the gold then give them the chop for someone who will. Elite sport is exactly that.
It is a really tricky one. My daughter (12yo) is quite a talented long distance runner who has competed at a national level for the county. She is very competitive and likes racing but really doesn't like training (who does?). Up until the age of about 11, I really encouraged her to do training to get the best out of her. Since then she has reached the age where she needs to make decisions for herself as to what she wants to do with her life. As a parent it is difficult because you want to make sure they make the most of their talents but at the same time being careful that you don't push the child to do it for you and not for themselves.
I do think though that if you have a young athlete who is capable of gold in the Olympics then it needs to be spelled out to them exactly what is involved. The decision is up to them and they either need to get with that programme or get off to let someone who is prepared to do it take their place. There is no point taking an athlete like that and not pushing them and coming up with a 4th place when they could have got Gold. They will have wasted their time by doing a lot but not enough.
But the point is that she's clearly not going to become an elite long distance runner. I'm specifically talking about people who already are. Their life goal is to stand on the top step of the podium. If it isn't they're in the wrong career.
That's all great but the system where you leave everything in life to train bonkersly to get a gold is by definition one which is going to create vastly more failures than winners.
I think it is somewhere in the middle- To get taxpayer or lottery funding and the best coaching (rare resource in itself) you have to be prepared to give it all and more (the coach bit comes in with the "more" bit) and you have to aim for at least a medal in your career.
Most will still not quite achieve this as sport is uncertain and cruel (its why its so interesting to many especially those who are competitive) but once initial disappointment is over generally most athletes if they have given everything will have benefited from the programme . Even GB will have as to get medals you need a greater pool trying to get medals (sort of maths really)
All true, and why I don't follow much sport. We are down a track we can't get off of course but there is no reason in principle why a farthing of public money should go into sport to win medals.
We are a long way from:
Modest in victory Gracious in defeat Taking part is what counts It's only a game Amateur.
The damage? Cheating. Drugs. Psychological meltdown. Hubris. Long term medical damage. Driven by money.
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
Mr. 86, Verstappen was defending his position. He isn't obliged to let his title rival past by opening the door. It's bizarre to blame a chap ahead who gets hit by someone else for the collision.
He's entitled to defend his position. What he's not entitled to do is try to block the inside line before reverting to the fastest line and expecting the other guy not to challenge.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
It's an interesting contrast with Macron and the flowers
I think the reason it caught in the wind is he lifted it up to offer it to the woman behind him. Old fashioned may be, but a nice gesture
It was Chaplinesque slapstick gold from a comedic genius.
Don't undersell your boy by suggesting he offered his umbrella as a prop for a chat-up line.
If the sequence had captured T May, IDS, Howard, Brown, even Blair, Jezza, Miliband, SKS in the same way it would have been sub optimal for them. Hague, Cameron (maybe), Mowlem, might have been OK. But for this apparently accidental sequence to be comedy gold that silent films and cartoons strive for with great effort shows a sort of unlearnable genius.
Surely the choreography was too perfect for it to be accidental, even down to asking the lady if she wanted the umbrella. It was pure Norman Wisdom. The Albanians must worship Johnson, maybe Leon can ask next time he is in the back of one of their cabs
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
Wokeness doesn't come from the top of government, it's the ideology of present day elites and it's advancing through society day-by-day regardless of politics.
You'd be right to say that only Government action can stop it, though.
So, now it’s “woke” to say that children and young adults should be having fun? Nonsense! It’s plain common sense. Nothing to do with “elites”.
What you “anti-woke” chancers want is for children and young adults to be effectively enslaved by the state. Shame on you!
I am with you on this Stuart. Those of us who are old enough to remember the enslaved gymnasts of eastern Europe who were even in some cases inseminated and then aborted because it gave the young girls just that little bit of more suppleness or who were force fed diets of steroids with horrific consequences to their health all in the name of glory for some tin pot dictator can see where this leads.
Sport is not just about winning. If it were it is not worth doing. Athletes need to be treated with respect and develop as people not as automatons. There is nothing woke about stopping sexual or physical harrassment of young athletes in the name of some glory for the institution. It leads to bad things.
Thank you for your support David.
This is a topic very close to my heart. I have a lot of experience in the area, both joy and sorrow. Both historic and current.
I suspect that most people have never been anywhere near the strange world of elite sport, and therefore don’t really understand it. That said, PB does have several hundred experts on Covid19 who don’t have a degree in medicine, so why should the world of sport be any different?
I've seen this with my own son in his drive to get into Oxford. He decided he wanted it and went for it 100%. He gave up a lot of other things because he recognised it was necessary to get to that level and worked incredibly hard to achieve it. The absolutely critical thing is that this was his choice. He wanted it and he's got his medal.
It's the same with elite sport. If the kid is self driven and determined by all means give him all the technical support and skilled coaching that we can. But it must, must remain his or her choice. The moment someone else is doing the driving, as opposed to supporting, things go wrong.
100% agree.
I am not opposed to elite performance, in sport, academia, the arts, business, wherever. But I am opposed to bullying, psychological abuse and coercion; including such actions by the state, sports governing bodies and individual coaches.
Its not as simple as that though - When an athlete is thinking he or she is flat out in training and the coach knows they can do more is it "bullying" to tell them to push harder etc? Even with me doing middle aged parkrun running i know my brain is the most negative muscle or organ in my body in that the physical body can do more than the brain initially thinks it can.You always want to stop ,slow down ,give up before you really physicallly need to . To win gold you have to go beyond what your brain tells you.
Would anybody in later life thank a coach who denied them a gold medal because they did not push them enough ? Works two ways
“to tell them to push harder” a few times a year? No, probably not bullying.
“to tell them to push harder” a few times a week? Yes, probably bullying.
It is the job of sports governing bodies to root out the bullies, not actively support them.
Are these elite athletes deaf and dumb, are they unable to speak or think, FFS they are a bunch of pampered jessies who cannot take losing. Man up or get out of it.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Mr. 86, Verstappen was defending his position. He isn't obliged to let his title rival past by opening the door. It's bizarre to blame a chap ahead who gets hit by someone else for the collision.
Mercedes are now saying that Max’s GPS shows him going faster into Copse on Lap 1, than he was in qualifying. He didn’t lift at all, until the impact.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
I was assured that one of the few (only?) Brexit wins would be reduced salience of “immigration” as an issue.
You are being too hard on yourself. The voter is never wrong. Politics cannot 'solve' anything except the future. The tax payer funded provision of universal health care at today's quality and education to 18 would have seemed to most in, say 1850, as beyond the dreams of avarice and a paradise on earth. But these very issues, where politics has argued, funded, campaigned about for decades are right at the top of concerns.
Why should openness of borders, or the insoluble issue of refugees be any different?
OT Olympics – medal ceremonies – I am coming round to the new, Covid-precautionary, way of having athletes put the medals round their necks themselves, rather than have an official sometimes struggle to place it over their heads. I'm not really sure why they need to be masked for half the ceremony but not all of it. Perhaps it is in case they sing along to the national anthem.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
We Tories ARE well educated!
High levels of education are strongly correlated with NOT voting Tory. according to every poll we've seen lately...
Almost all of those polls don't control for age or income, though.
It still might be true, but to know if it is we really need to poll over 60s by tertiary education both high and low income - which I suspect will be a small sample size - and compare them to under 30s who've graduated of the same.
By the way, even if it is true it doesn't mean Tories are "thick" - which is where this argument usually goes - it's more likely to mean the globalised international economy works particularly well for those tertiary educated, with the income levels to go with it.
It's complex, isn't it? The polls very strongly suggest that the Tories are strongest with the upper working class vote - white van man - who feel that they're making progress from self-employment and don't trust Labour to help. That's not a "thick" vote, but an aspirant one. They're weaker with the very poor (who hope that Labour will help) and higher income brackets (who often feel they're doing OK and they'd like social democracy). But the income side is crossed with age (very stringly correlated with voting Tory) and education (pretty strongly correlated with voting Labour). The former is partly about home ownership and wanting to preserve the fruits of success, perhaps, and the latter may be partly about Johnson, who whatever his virtues is not an intellectual voter's obvious favourite.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
You know what's worse? Doing 98% of it and coming away without the gold.
What worries me is the 2% remainder. That’s what these poor sods have left over for free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers.
You nasty bunch effectively want to enslave talented children and young adults in the service of the British State. That’s not “sport”, that’s trafficking.
You do realise your last paragraph is absolutely barking, don't you?
I don't think Mr Dickson has met an Olympic grade athlete.
The word "driven" begins to describe it.
Given the list - "free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers"
vs
"Training until you throw up. Then training some more."
The Olympic grade athletes will chose B every single time. This is what they *want* - to a degree that can seem like selfish monomania to outsiders.
Absolutely fine if consenting adults genuinely choose B, of their own free will.
Absolutely not ok if children or non-consenting adults are forced or coerced into B.
Vanishingly few well-adjusted adults would choose B. B is idiotic for all but a tiny, tiny fraction of the adult population.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
You know what's worse? Doing 98% of it and coming away without the gold.
What worries me is the 2% remainder. That’s what these poor sods have left over for free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers.
You nasty bunch effectively want to enslave talented children and young adults in the service of the British State. That’s not “sport”, that’s trafficking.
You do realise your last paragraph is absolutely barking, don't you?
I don't think Mr Dickson has met an Olympic grade athlete.
The word "driven" begins to describe it.
Given the list - "free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers"
vs
"Training until you throw up. Then training some more."
The Olympic grade athletes will chose B every single time. This is what they *want* - to a degree that can seem like selfish monomania to outsiders.
Daley commented on his own obsessive focus as a child, acknowledging it as odd (in the context of how hed react if his son said the same things) but he doesnt seem regretful - it required sacrifice, but that's who he was and is, and he now has a better balance.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
Just for the record I do not watch GBnews and therefore cannot comment on its content
I did watch it for the first couple of days but the sets, the presenters and most everything about it was a turn off
I understand Farage is now improving its ratings and to me that is extremely depressing and is just another reason for me to keep it switched off
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
Sadly despite stage four in England my workplace uni has decided I still have to wear a mask when walking in corridors. And they are still obsessing over hand sanitizer despite the evidence about the method of transmission. Students will be expected to wear masks during lectures. If I were them I’d prefer them online.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
Wokeness doesn't come from the top of government, it's the ideology of present day elites and it's advancing through society day-by-day regardless of politics.
You'd be right to say that only Government action can stop it, though.
So, now it’s “woke” to say that children and young adults should be having fun? Nonsense! It’s plain common sense. Nothing to do with “elites”.
What you “anti-woke” chancers want is for children and young adults to be effectively enslaved by the state. Shame on you!
I am with you on this Stuart. Those of us who are old enough to remember the enslaved gymnasts of eastern Europe who were even in some cases inseminated and then aborted because it gave the young girls just that little bit of more suppleness or who were force fed diets of steroids with horrific consequences to their health all in the name of glory for some tin pot dictator can see where this leads.
Sport is not just about winning. If it were it is not worth doing. Athletes need to be treated with respect and develop as people not as automatons. There is nothing woke about stopping sexual or physical harrassment of young athletes in the name of some glory for the institution. It leads to bad things.
Thank you for your support David.
This is a topic very close to my heart. I have a lot of experience in the area, both joy and sorrow. Both historic and current.
I suspect that most people have never been anywhere near the strange world of elite sport, and therefore don’t really understand it. That said, PB does have several hundred experts on Covid19 who don’t have a degree in medicine, so why should the world of sport be any different?
I've seen this with my own son in his drive to get into Oxford. He decided he wanted it and went for it 100%. He gave up a lot of other things because he recognised it was necessary to get to that level and worked incredibly hard to achieve it. The absolutely critical thing is that this was his choice. He wanted it and he's got his medal.
It's the same with elite sport. If the kid is self driven and determined by all means give him all the technical support and skilled coaching that we can. But it must, must remain his or her choice. The moment someone else is doing the driving, as opposed to supporting, things go wrong.
A friend of mine represented England in a minor sport, and was a very good Ironman triathlete. (*) In his mid-twenties he had the opportunity to go professional, and he turned it down. He had a very good career in engineering, and found the training brain-deadeningly boring. He could not see himself dedicating five to ten years of his life to triathlon, only to have to try to return to his career when he grew to old, or his body gave up on him.
In fact, he used to say that most professional athletes were quite thick, and that talent-spotters actively wanted people who were good at the sport but easily controllable.
Talent-spotters want those who are good at it but easily controllable. Sounds very much like the PhD circuit these days - especially at high-prestige places.
I was assured that one of the few (only?) Brexit wins would be reduced salience of “immigration” as an issue.
You are being too hard on yourself. The voter is never wrong. Politics cannot 'solve' anything except the future. The tax payer funded provision of universal health care at today's quality and education to 18 would have seemed to most in, say 1850, as beyond the dreams of avarice and a paradise on earth. But these very issues, where politics has argued, funded, campaigned about for decades are right at the top of concerns.
Why should openness of borders, or the insoluble issue of refugees be any different?
Who was it in the Atlee government commented on the near total lack of gratitude for the NHS? As in, it was taken up and the only comments seemed to be "not enough!" and "more!"
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
I’m sure there will be a big drop off over time. It is strange to see people wearing them in open spaces though I agree.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
okey dokey.
You don't see the grey zone between "severe psychological damage" and "any negative consequences at al"?
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
A lot of mask-wearing in the street is probably not due to people cowering or even thinking it necessary but simply because it is easier to leave the mask on between shops and/or transport than to repeatedly take it off and put it on again. Certainly that is what I do.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
Many people don't regard wearing a mask as a great hardship. So for them the "cost" is very low. Given that there is a fair bit of COVID about, they may well see the cost benefit ratio differently to you.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
In suburban South Manchester, I would put the number of people wearing masks when not requested to do so - in the park, on the street, on their own in cars at less than 2%.
Numbers not masking in the shops is creeping up.
In about 1999, I watched the England football team play someone or other (Poland?) in a pub in Pitlochry. There was quite a crowd, but it was a quiet crowd. Though the crowd got gradually louder as the match went on as it gradually dawned on us that we were pretty much all English. I'd say the same thing is happening in shops. People are masking not out of any keenness to mask or belief that it is the right thing to do, but because they see everyone else doing so. But as it becomes gradually ore common to see people not masking, all those masking purely to fit in will start de-masking. By the end of August, I reckon it'll be less than 50% in Tesco in Sale (which I am taking as the benchmark); by the end of Septmeber less than 20%.
They've already taken down the signs asking you to mask when you come in and the signs restricting you to one family per lift. Though they still have the tannoys repeatedly asking you to wear one.
Of course you wouldn't recognise gentlemanly behaviour, Roger. You think women working in your industry should just submit to the whims of the 'talent' or leave to become hairdressers. Or have you changed your views on this since the MeToo movement rightfully erupted?
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
Just for the record I do not watch GBnews and therefore cannot comment on its content
I did watch it for the first couple of days but the sets, the presenters and most everything about it was a turn off
I understand Farage is now improving its ratings and to me that is extremely depressing and is just another reason for me to keep it switched off
Farage is actually pretty good as a presenter/interviewer. I have watched a little bit and he gives his guests a lot of room to speak their mind, and they aren’t all people on his side. Vince Cable, Amnesty International for example
Mr. Sandpit, if Hamilton was catching him he was probably going pretty quickly too.
Verstappen's driven hard but fair this year, and Hamilton's largely done the same. But the error here was Hamilton's. If Verstappen had swerved then I'd say otherwise, but he just turned.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
okey dokey.
You don't see the grey zone between "severe psychological damage" and "any negative consequences at al"?
okey dokey.
I see you are one of those "pull yourself together" types.
As long as you believe all is fine and any negative consequences (ie psychological damage - it is the same thing what else would it be? Extra littering?) then everyone else should be as you are and show some backbone.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
Many people don't regard wearing a mask as a great hardship. So for them the "cost" is very low. Given that there is a fair bit of COVID about, they may well see the cost benefit ratio differently to you.
I’m slightly concerned about when mask wearing will not be used. How low would cases say need to be? I fear it’s with us for the long haul. It may not be a great hardship but I loathe it with a passion, and my workplace is saying I have to keep doing it. Not fun.
Of course you wouldn't recognise gentlemanly behaviour, Roger. You think women working in your industry should just submit to the whims of the 'talent' or leave to become hairdressers. Or have you changed your views on this since the MeToo movement rightfully erupted?
MeToo is a bunch of Bollox
Not really. It's not as if the casting couch in Hollywood and associated industries was an unknown phenomenon. It's just that nowadays it's (rightly IMO) seen as being an exploitative and negative thing: the powerful preying on the weak.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
Sadly despite stage four in England my workplace uni has decided I still have to wear a mask when walking in corridors. And they are still obsessing over hand sanitizer despite the evidence about the method of transmission. Students will be expected to wear masks during lectures. If I were them I’d prefer them online.
On the whole I agree that authorities are indeed being overcautious about the winding down of Covid precautions, and that mask-wearing, for example, is more onerous for extended periods (unlike popping into a shop). I suppose the ever-present risk of litigation encourages this. Hopefully, though, this will end soon as the number of cases falls.
Mr. Sandpit, if Hamilton was catching him he was probably going pretty quickly too.
Verstappen's driven hard but fair this year, and Hamilton's largely done the same. But the error here was Hamilton's. If Verstappen had swerved then I'd say otherwise, but he just turned.
No. The reason that they were alongside at the start of the corner, but Max was in front at the point of impact, is that Max hadn’t lifted at all, and would have been using all the available runoff to the outside if there hadn’t been an accident. Lewis lifted for the corner, as might be expected. Max didnt!
I was assured that one of the few (only?) Brexit wins would be reduced salience of “immigration” as an issue.
It is an itch that no amount of scratching will ever salve.
Well Brexit may stop immigration from the EU, though the 6m already here can stay. If you have a beef with immigration from the EU you may now be reassured that the problem might not get any worse than it is now.
If you have a beef however with immigration from the rest of the world, scenes from the south coast show that this is still clearly an issue, Brexit or no Brexit.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Yes - simply attempting to shutdown the debate with "You can't talk about it. You have to accept it" is ultimate self -defeating in a democracy.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
okey dokey.
Have to say it makes life more pleasant , saves you having to see some of the butt ugly coupons out there. Perhaps upgrades to full size binbags would make it perfect.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Yes - simply attempting to shutdown the debate with "You can't talk about it. You have to accept it" is ultimate self -defeating in a democracy.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
You know what's worse? Doing 98% of it and coming away without the gold.
What worries me is the 2% remainder. That’s what these poor sods have left over for free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers.
You nasty bunch effectively want to enslave talented children and young adults in the service of the British State. That’s not “sport”, that’s trafficking.
You do realise your last paragraph is absolutely barking, don't you?
I don't think Mr Dickson has met an Olympic grade athlete.
The word "driven" begins to describe it.
Given the list - "free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers"
vs
"Training until you throw up. Then training some more."
The Olympic grade athletes will chose B every single time. This is what they *want* - to a degree that can seem like selfish monomania to outsiders.
I think this is really what makes the difference. You do get the odd genetic freak (e.g. Peaty) which makes a big difference. However if you have a certain level of ability then it is those who are prepared to push themselves through a world of pain and absolute dedication are the ones who will win. Most don't have it.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
In suburban South Manchester, I would put the number of people wearing masks when not requested to do so - in the park, on the street, on their own in cars at less than 2%.
Numbers not masking in the shops is creeping up.
In about 1999, I watched the England football team play someone or other (Poland?) in a pub in Pitlochry. There was quite a crowd, but it was a quiet crowd. Though the crowd got gradually louder as the match went on as it gradually dawned on us that we were pretty much all English. I'd say the same thing is happening in shops. People are masking not out of any keenness to mask or belief that it is the right thing to do, but because they see everyone else doing so. But as it becomes gradually ore common to see people not masking, all those masking purely to fit in will start de-masking. By the end of August, I reckon it'll be less than 50% in Tesco in Sale (which I am taking as the benchmark); by the end of Septmeber less than 20%.
They've already taken down the signs asking you to mask when you come in and the signs restricting you to one family per lift. Though they still have the tannoys repeatedly asking you to wear one.
That must have been one hell of a size of pub garden.
I tend not to comment on the immigration issue as it is not simply a question of the bigoted right headed up by Farage, but is is also a question of integration and ensuring immigration does not continue to allow employers to depress wages
I have no issue with immigration when the economy needs it and most immigrants including the 6 million EU citizens now adopting settled status are most welcome
However, the terrible dangers migrants face at the hands of smugglers pushing their boats out into the channel with no care for their lives, including the children amongst them, is wrong on every level and it does need to be stopped, though France should be ashamed at its own half hearted attempts on their side
Patel just talks tough but I just do not see anything changing in the near future and it is extremely depressing
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
Many people don't regard wearing a mask as a great hardship. So for them the "cost" is very low. Given that there is a fair bit of COVID about, they may well see the cost benefit ratio differently to you.
Absolutely. But for others, it is inflicting harm. It's a question, as ever, of balancing out the costs and benefits.
My point was and is that a nation wearing masks is not costless. Just because you or Joe Bloggs or @FeersumEnjineeya don't see it as a great hardship doesn't mean there isn't a significant number of people who are affected by it.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
I get that people may have stayed cautious but that alone cannot explain the huge falls, as they are not more cautious than before, surely?
Oh yes I’m not saying that caused the huge falls. Just that, at this stage, people aren’t going to throw their masks in the bin and not socially distance just because they don’t have to anymore
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
There was a lot of talk of "bonfires of masks" although that may only have been the shock jocks.
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
Many people don't regard wearing a mask as a great hardship. So for them the "cost" is very low. Given that there is a fair bit of COVID about, they may well see the cost benefit ratio differently to you.
I’m slightly concerned about when mask wearing will not be used. How low would cases say need to be? I fear it’s with us for the long haul. It may not be a great hardship but I loathe it with a passion, and my workplace is saying I have to keep doing it. Not fun.
I'm clearly going to regret even raising this, but: - surely the ability to deal with this sort of thing is a devolved issue? - surely if it was a result of being in the union then drug deaths would be similar across all four nations?
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
You know what's worse? Doing 98% of it and coming away without the gold.
What worries me is the 2% remainder. That’s what these poor sods have left over for free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers.
You nasty bunch effectively want to enslave talented children and young adults in the service of the British State. That’s not “sport”, that’s trafficking.
You do realise your last paragraph is absolutely barking, don't you?
I don't think Mr Dickson has met an Olympic grade athlete.
The word "driven" begins to describe it.
Given the list - "free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers"
vs
"Training until you throw up. Then training some more."
The Olympic grade athletes will chose B every single time. This is what they *want* - to a degree that can seem like selfish monomania to outsiders.
I think this is really what makes the difference. You do get the odd genetic freak (e.g. Peaty) which makes a big difference. However if you have a certain level of ability then it is those who are prepared to push themselves through a world of pain and absolute dedication are the ones who will win. Most don't have it.
Yes - you have to have both.
The force of will involved is quite staggering. Nietzschian conquest of the self....
Of course you wouldn't recognise gentlemanly behaviour, Roger. You think women working in your industry should just submit to the whims of the 'talent' or leave to become hairdressers. Or have you changed your views on this since the MeToo movement rightfully erupted?
MeToo is a bunch of Bollox
Not really. It's not as if the casting couch in Hollywood and associated industries was an unknown phenomenon. It's just that nowadays it's (rightly IMO) seen as being an exploitative and negative thing: the powerful preying on the weak.
They are happy doing it on the way up , but not so once they are stars. They could just say no and go get a real job.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
okey dokey.
Have to say it makes life more pleasant , saves you having to see some of the butt ugly coupons out there. Perhaps upgrades to full size binbags would make it perfect.
LOL good point. But let's make it selective. Above a certain level, say 7, you don't wear one. Below 4 it's a criminal offence not to.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Red meat for the Woke-Finder Generals though.
I am genuinely nonplussed by @MaxPB's original comment that "Medals and more" is 'the woke approach'.
Surely, the stereotypical 'woke' approach to sport would be 'down with competition - everyone's a winner'?
Or have I once again misunderstood what I should be thinking as card-carrying Wokist?
I'm clearly going to regret even raising this, but: - surely the ability to deal with this sort of thing is a devolved issue? - surely if it was a result of being in the union then drug deaths would be similar across all four nations?
1. Not all levers to manage drug policy are devolved. 2. Glasgow has long had a massive, deep-rooted issue with drug abuse.
Having said that, I view the issue as an affront to our claims to be a first world nation. The issue ought to be much higher up the radar nationally.
It’s far more important that a few hundred boat people.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
In suburban South Manchester, I would put the number of people wearing masks when not requested to do so - in the park, on the street, on their own in cars at less than 2%.
Numbers not masking in the shops is creeping up.
In about 1999, I watched the England football team play someone or other (Poland?) in a pub in Pitlochry. There was quite a crowd, but it was a quiet crowd. Though the crowd got gradually louder as the match went on as it gradually dawned on us that we were pretty much all English. I'd say the same thing is happening in shops. People are masking not out of any keenness to mask or belief that it is the right thing to do, but because they see everyone else doing so. But as it becomes gradually ore common to see people not masking, all those masking purely to fit in will start de-masking. By the end of August, I reckon it'll be less than 50% in Tesco in Sale (which I am taking as the benchmark); by the end of Septmeber less than 20%.
They've already taken down the signs asking you to mask when you come in and the signs restricting you to one family per lift. Though they still have the tannoys repeatedly asking you to wear one.
There is a Tesco in Sale?! Isn't it peak Waitrose land?
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Yes - simply attempting to shutdown the debate with "You can't talk about it. You have to accept it" is ultimate self -defeating in a democracy.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
Please outline these alternatives you refer to.
- Mechanisation. - Increases in rates of pay (often linked with mechanisation) - Shutting down sectors that can't run without cheap labour. - Acceptance of long term labour shortage, in various areas, leading to a shortage of supply.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
Sadly despite stage four in England my workplace uni has decided I still have to wear a mask when walking in corridors. And they are still obsessing over hand sanitizer despite the evidence about the method of transmission. Students will be expected to wear masks during lectures. If I were them I’d prefer them online.
On the whole I agree that authorities are indeed being overcautious about the winding down of Covid precautions, and that mask-wearing, for example, is more onerous for extended periods (unlike popping into a shop). I suppose the ever-present risk of litigation encourages this. Hopefully, though, this will end soon as the number of cases falls.
These problems will go away in time. We are driven by law and convention. From July 19th most things stopped being about law and new conventions have not been established. Until they are we will be treated to the spectacle of nightclubs at one extreme, and long committee debates over whether the minute book has to be sanitised and isolated for 48 hours at the other.
By about March 2022, if we don't have a disaster, a new consensus and set of conventions will have emerged. And a small number of people (I know one or two) will have become hermits.
Hamilton vs Verstappen. It was a fantastic scrap for half a lap. Hamilton went full send into Copse, they went into each other. Hamilton was given a fair penalty and drove a sensational race to win.
That Red Bull are still bleating about it is just stupid. They had the faster car. Again. On a Mercedes track. Focus on winning the titles fairly instead of whining. We want racing drivers to go at each other with full commitment. It wasn't a ludicrous or dangerous move.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Red meat for the Woke-Finder Generals though.
I am genuinely nonplussed by @MaxPB's original comment that "Medals and more" is 'the woke approach'.
Surely, the stereotypical 'woke' approach to sport would be 'down with competition - everyone's a winner'?
Or have I once again misunderstood what I should be thinking as card-carrying Wokist?
The new funding approach is exactly this....it used to be money is focused on sports and individuals for Team GB to maximize medal returns...the new approach is fund sports to encourage a more diverse number of sports and encourage diverse participants, even if it results in less "winners".
It isn't implied, it is the stated aim. Everyone is a winner in that they get funded to do a sport, even if the output is less "winners" in actual competition.
Mr. B, Hamilton wasn't on the edge of the track, that's why they collided, as this photo shows.
...
In the runup to the corner. Single frame photos demonstrate nothing other than Hamilton had significant overlap going in to the corner. Using them to litigate a dynamic process is just silly.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
A lot of mask-wearing in the street is probably not due to people cowering or even thinking it necessary but simply because it is easier to leave the mask on between shops and/or transport than to repeatedly take it off and put it on again. Certainly that is what I do.
Grip seal plastic bag. Pocket. Sorted!
Even when 1500 patients with Covid were croaking in Britain per day, I didn't see a single other customer in the supermarket I go to wash their hands when they came out of the shop. They were all right doing it when they went in, because a sign told them to, probably in kindergarten singalong sloganese. Got to wonder how they think items find their way onto shelves without people touching them.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
In suburban South Manchester, I would put the number of people wearing masks when not requested to do so - in the park, on the street, on their own in cars at less than 2%.
Numbers not masking in the shops is creeping up.
In about 1999, I watched the England football team play someone or other (Poland?) in a pub in Pitlochry. There was quite a crowd, but it was a quiet crowd. Though the crowd got gradually louder as the match went on as it gradually dawned on us that we were pretty much all English. I'd say the same thing is happening in shops. People are masking not out of any keenness to mask or belief that it is the right thing to do, but because they see everyone else doing so. But as it becomes gradually ore common to see people not masking, all those masking purely to fit in will start de-masking. By the end of August, I reckon it'll be less than 50% in Tesco in Sale (which I am taking as the benchmark); by the end of Septmeber less than 20%.
They've already taken down the signs asking you to mask when you come in and the signs restricting you to one family per lift. Though they still have the tannoys repeatedly asking you to wear one.
There is a Tesco in Sale?! Isn't it peak Waitrose land?
Its only Sale. Its not like it Hale Barns darling, or Knutsford. Anyway it is the north west, only plebs shop in Waitrose, the well to do shop in Booths.
To be fair, it appears he offers the brolly to woman behind who doesn't have one (she has a hat). I think it is Patel.
Danger of a Mary Poppins moment, surely?
Priti Patel as Mary Poppins?
Seems less than likely.
Hanging and flogging and long spells in prison Theses are a few of my favourite things
Bodies on beaches and trips to Israel Lying in cabinet and making it fail Bullying my staff until they're weeping These are a few of my favourite things
Beijing warns of ‘counter-measures’ as Royal Navy sails South China Sea
… the Global Times, which said “the very idea of a British presence in the South China Sea is dangerous. If London tries to establish a military presence in the region with geopolitical significance, it will only disrupt the status quo in the region … And if there is any real action against China, it is looking for a defeat.”
Later this year, the UK will also permanently assign two warships to the region.
I'm clearly going to regret even raising this, but: - surely the ability to deal with this sort of thing is a devolved issue? - surely if it was a result of being in the union then drug deaths would be similar across all four nations?
Unfortunately lots of it is retained to Westminster and much as the government up here is crap , Westminster veto many of their ideas or plans. Second point to my mind is that it is mainly a problem of deprivation and I am sure in certain places in other parts of UK they have similar problems. National disgrace regardless and a huge waste of people and resources.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
A lot of mask-wearing in the street is probably not due to people cowering or even thinking it necessary but simply because it is easier to leave the mask on between shops and/or transport than to repeatedly take it off and put it on again. Certainly that is what I do.
This is true.
I cannot imagine a circumstance in which I would keep my mask on a moment more than necessary. I find it horrible. I can't think about anything else while wearing it apart from removing it. But my mother-in-law - no cowerer she - will quite blithely walk around wearing hers for minutes after she is out of the shop because she has genuinely forgotten to remove it.
It is important to stress that no one in government — from ministers to aides to scientists — has a clear explanation for why cases are currently far lower than projected. Today’s poll may just provide some insight. It shows that tens of millions of Brits were uneasy about Johnson’s decision to open up this month, that a clear majority seems to be complying with ongoing isolation rules, and that huge numbers are exercising significant caution in how they go about their daily lives, limiting whom they meet and taking measures that would help stop the spread. The truth is we still don’t know and there may be other more important factors at play, though it might just be that the natural caution and moderation of the public has at least partly helped to stop cases from spiralling out of control.
If the above theory is correct then unfortunately for Pagel and co, it implies that trusting people to judge their own risk works far better than iSAGE would believe.
Paging Tegnell.
Yes, it always seemed likely to me that when official restrictions were lifted, people would exercise caution anyway. We don’t need a nanny state ordering us all the time. We don’t have to wear masks anymore, yet most people in shops still do, who in their right mind would go about their business no as if it were July 2019? A few maybe but generally not many. Give the public some credit!
If its correct that everyone is going to come into contact with covid at some point then its pretty senseless for people who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask. Especially if they are at low risk to begin with.
While those who think they are at risk would be well advised to wear a proper mask.
The wearing of the blue flimsy masks, often incorrectly, falls into the pointless gap between the two sensible choices.
I don’t know about the effectivity of types of mask, personally I wear one most of the time I’m shopping because I don’t want to upset people feeling vulnerable, but they are an obvious indicator of how much people are or are not simply relying on the government to inform their everyday decisions.
I also wear a mask in shops, but it's not because of anything the government says or because I think they are effective. It's because a) the shop usually has a sign asking people to do so, b) as you say, it makes some vulnerable people feel safer and c) it's no great hardship for me. I imagine that most mask wearers are thinking along similar lines, and it's why Sajid Javid's "cowering" comment was so misplaced. Those of us who continue to wear masks in shops are not "cowering", we are simply being considerate. "Cowering" was an insult.
I was pondering this morning on my bike ride at all the people wearing masks walking along the road or in the park, or alone in cars, which I would put at around 10-20%.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
Severe psychological damage? Lol.
You don't think a nation wearing facemasks has any negative consequences at all?
okey dokey.
You don't see the grey zone between "severe psychological damage" and "any negative consequences at al"?
okey dokey.
I see you are one of those "pull yourself together" types.
As long as you believe all is fine and any negative consequences (ie psychological damage - it is the same thing what else would it be? Extra littering?) then everyone else should be as you are and show some backbone.
Have I got that right?
Sorry, but I have no idea why you'd think that.
To clarify my position: Yes, I think mask-wearing will probably go on for somewhat longer than necessary and in circumstances where it is not necessary, and that this may be detrimental for some people. But no, I don't think this a sign of severe psychological damage. That would be a gross exaggeration. Also, I think mask-wearing will peter out once cases and deaths have dropped to low levels.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Red meat for the Woke-Finder Generals though.
I am genuinely nonplussed by @MaxPB's original comment that "Medals and more" is 'the woke approach'.
Surely, the stereotypical 'woke' approach to sport would be 'down with competition - everyone's a winner'?
Or have I once again misunderstood what I should be thinking as card-carrying Wokist?
You are correct , Max gets a bit confused with his extreme right wing rhetoric.
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
Just for the record I do not watch GBnews and therefore cannot comment on its content
I did watch it for the first couple of days but the sets, the presenters and most everything about it was a turn off
I understand Farage is now improving its ratings and to me that is extremely depressing and is just another reason for me to keep it switched off
Farage is a very engaging interviewer . He is naturally cheerful . I am defo Remain in the EU but do like his interviewing style - Love the "talking Pints" slot with him interviewing over a pint
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Yes - simply attempting to shutdown the debate with "You can't talk about it. You have to accept it" is ultimate self -defeating in a democracy.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
Please outline these alternatives you refer to.
- Mechanisation. - Increases in rates of pay (often linked with mechanisation) - Shutting down sectors that can't run without cheap labour. - Acceptance of long term labour shortage, in various areas, leading to a shortage of supply.
If you don't believe me, go look at Japan.
It’s not that I don’t believe there are alternatives, it’s that nobody wants to actually put them on the table for criticism.
Japan of course has suffered economic stagnation for a generation (25 years). GDP per capita was below the UK’s in 2019 I think.
I do think more British businesses should be mechanising, although I suspect this is less to do with immigration levels and more to do with long-standing and systemic aversion to capex.
And mechanisation doesn’t really do much for large parts of the service industry (care working, retail etc) where the alternative seems more likely to be the sector shut down that you refer to rather than wage increases.
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
Max, you have a link to a bit more info on this Woke approach please?
The only things I've notice this time are TeamGB proudly tweeting lots of athletes taking the knee, and that we're supposed to be proud of Tom Daley's gold medal win as a landmark moment for gay rights, rather than the fact he's Tom Daley and has finally achieved his dream in his 4th Olympics.
I get the impression you are seeing stuff here that just doesn't exist because you are looking for it. The stuff on Tom Daley was just nice stuff focusing on his long trip to gold. Lots was mentioned like his son, his partner, his diving history, his father's death, but you hear gay and think woke.
It is just what reporters do when a Brit wins. It's nice not woke.
Agreed - it's a good personal story and the coming out is a part of that but hardly the focus.
Red meat for the Woke-Finder Generals though.
This is Huffin' on one side and Puffin' on the other.
The explanation this morning from the thinking person on the box was that 80% - 37 from 45 - are at their first Olympics was convincing. I can live with all those 4th places, looking forward to next time.
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
Just for the record I do not watch GBnews and therefore cannot comment on its content
I did watch it for the first couple of days but the sets, the presenters and most everything about it was a turn off
I understand Farage is now improving its ratings and to me that is extremely depressing and is just another reason for me to keep it switched off
Farage is a very engaging interviewer . He is naturally cheerful . I am defo Remain in the EU but do like his interviewing style - Love the "talking Pints" slot with him interviewing over a pint
I seemed to remember his LBC show did pretty well in the ratings, before he overstepped the mark with BLM comments and go the heave-ho.
Mr. 86, Verstappen was defending his position. He isn't obliged to let his title rival past by opening the door. It's bizarre to blame a chap ahead who gets hit by someone else for the collision.
Mercedes are now saying that Max’s GPS shows him going faster into Copse on Lap 1, than he was in qualifying. He didn’t lift at all, until the impact.
Both cars were at the limit, and contesting a corner where both were entitled to do so. There's a grey area between one car being clearly ahead and the other having got in front to claim the corner, and no amount of rules can police that - particularly since drivers have mere fractions of a second to make decisions. Attempting a frame by frame reconstruction after the event is just unrealistic.
OT Olympics – medal ceremonies – I am coming round to the new, Covid-precautionary, way of having athletes put the medals round their necks themselves, rather than have an official sometimes struggle to place it over their heads. I'm not really sure why they need to be masked for half the ceremony but not all of it. Perhaps it is in case they sing along to the national anthem.
The mask requirement at ceremonies is the most unwelcome spoiler of the games. As a medal winner you woudl want pictures of it showing your face not a mask
OT Olympics – medal ceremonies – I am coming round to the new, Covid-precautionary, way of having athletes put the medals round their necks themselves, rather than have an official sometimes struggle to place it over their heads. I'm not really sure why they need to be masked for half the ceremony but not all of it. Perhaps it is in case they sing along to the national anthem.
The mask requirement at ceremonies is the most unwelcome spoiler of the games. As a medal winner you woudl want pictures of it showing your face not a mask
I'm clearly going to regret even raising this, but: - surely the ability to deal with this sort of thing is a devolved issue? - surely if it was a result of being in the union then drug deaths would be similar across all four nations?
1. Not all levers to manage drug policy are devolved. 2. Glasgow has long had a massive, deep-rooted issue with drug abuse.
Having said that, I view the issue as an affront to our claims to be a first world nation. The issue ought to be much higher up the radar nationally.
It’s far more important that a few hundred boat people.
Exactly with devolution you have the worst of both worlds, bits of policy split out all over and each side competing to blame the other for their F*** ups and generally tripping each other up. Result is lots of half baked crap policies and generally nothing gets done properly.
A subject close to my heart - my girlfriend says the midwives and nurses have not been at all pushy about this, & even seem to be saying don’t bother, reading between the lines.
“ Public Health England data suggests about 51,724 pregnant women have received one Covid vaccine in England so far. Of these, around 20,648 have had their second dose. This is out of approximately 606,500 pregnant women in England in 2020-21, based on estimates from GP records.”
My wife was incorrectly advised by the person doing vaccinations (in May, contrary to the official guidance) not to have a first jab if she could be pregnant - it was very unlikely that she would have been pregnant at the time and she went ahead. For second jab, there was a possibility of being pregnant, but having reviewed the guidance and the evidence (I'm a epidemiologist, so that's kind of my day job) we went ahead with that too. She wasn't pregnant, as it turns out.
The evidence is limited - a bit like the debate over children there's no evidence of vaccine harm and no likely mechanism for it, but not much strong evidence of Covid harm either. The most robust finding so far seems to be increased risk of pre-term delivery for mothers who have had Covid (and possibly low birth weight, but that could just be due to increased risk of pre-term) and possibly increased risks to pregnant women infected with Covid compared to general population. Infections have long been linked with pre-term birth, so not a surprise if the evidence supports that.
Midwives are often quite anti-intervention and pro letting nature take its course. That was partly a (justified) reaction against the increased medicalisation of childbirth over a few decades, but the Royal College changed guidance a bit after some cases of pursuing a 'natural' birth ending badly. Our midwife for second birth strongly pushed for a home birth. We declined, being even with blue lights up to 45 minutes from hospital - we'd have been open to it if much closer - probably just as well as we would, if at home, have ended up doing that journey in a rush.
We'd have gone ahead with vaccination, even had my wife been pregnant, but it's not a black and white call. Our next door neighbour is delaying hers and I respect that decision (and hope she avoids infection until vaccinated after giving birth so she doesn't get to test out whether it was a good call).
Recriminations already starting in Team GB rowing. "Medals and more" (the woke approach) being blamed for the underperformance. Athletes to be told you win medals or you fuck off for Paris in a reversal of the Tokyo approach. Weak willed athletes to be left at home if they can't handle training to win gold.
If sport isn’t fun then these young people are simply wasting a chunk of their lives. I feel profoundly sorry for individuals caught in the web of the nasty bastards running these organisations. The culture of course comes from the top: the UK government.
You know what's worse? Doing 98% of it and coming away without the gold.
What worries me is the 2% remainder. That’s what these poor sods have left over for free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers.
You nasty bunch effectively want to enslave talented children and young adults in the service of the British State. That’s not “sport”, that’s trafficking.
You do realise your last paragraph is absolutely barking, don't you?
I don't think Mr Dickson has met an Olympic grade athlete.
The word "driven" begins to describe it.
Given the list - "free time, hobbies, reading, mucking about on bikes, holidays, dipping their toes at the seaside, taking their driving test, snogging pretty girls, studying, partaking of a lager shandy, smelling the flowers"
vs
"Training until you throw up. Then training some more."
The Olympic grade athletes will chose B every single time. This is what they *want* - to a degree that can seem like selfish monomania to outsiders.
I think this is really what makes the difference. You do get the odd genetic freak (e.g. Peaty) which makes a big difference. However if you have a certain level of ability then it is those who are prepared to push themselves through a world of pain and absolute dedication are the ones who will win. Most don't have it.
Todays female BMX gold medal winner crowd-funded herself when Lottery (or whatever) funding was withdrawn. I seem to recall it was eventually restored when she'd won something significant.
I was assured that one of the few (only?) Brexit wins would be reduced salience of “immigration” as an issue.
It is an itch that no amount of scratching will ever salve.
I don't know whether you're talking about immigration or Brexit? I imagine both. Brexit discontent will be with us forever. The country's biggest folly and greatest shame.
Equally telling that education doesn't make the top three for Tories.
Not really. I wouldn’t want the country to have (1) poor education (2) poor health (3) an inadequate welfare system (4) onerous taxation (5) uncontrolled immigration (6) lots of other things
A “top 3” is meaningless because they are all important to get right.
On the contrary, I think it's very telling. If you think a few hundred unfortunate souls washing up on our shores will have a bigger impact on our future happiness and prosperity than having a well resourced and effective education system then you are deluded. Politics is all about priorities. If you have daft priorities, you will get bad outcomes. Similarly, if you have politicians who use unimportant stuff to distract you from their manifest incompetence on the things that matter.
Interesting that you conflate the Channel crossings with the issue of mass economic migration.
That is Faragist position.
Isn't it the dinghies that people are getting their knickers in a twist about? We have tough rules governing economic migration already, a points based immigration system no less, so there's nothing to worry about there surely. Personally I am a big fan of immigration. I am married to the daughter of immigrants. I have three beautiful kids who are grandchildren of immigrants. I work for a business created by an immigrant. Many of my friends, neighbours and colleagues are immigrants. The idea that immigration is one of the great problems facing us as a country is for the birds.
Well, the Faragists are getting their knickers in a twist about the dinghies. Not so sure about other people.
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
We are a rapidly ageing society and face shortages of labour of all types. I have no doubt that immigration will continue including so-called unskilled immigration, because the economy will demand it. The best way to protect working conditions is to have a government that wants to do that and strong institutions like trade unions advocating for them. There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
Yes - simply attempting to shutdown the debate with "You can't talk about it. You have to accept it" is ultimate self -defeating in a democracy.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
Please outline these alternatives you refer to.
- Mechanisation. - Increases in rates of pay (often linked with mechanisation) - Shutting down sectors that can't run without cheap labour. - Acceptance of long term labour shortage, in various areas, leading to a shortage of supply.
If you don't believe me, go look at Japan.
It’s not that I don’t believe there are alternatives, it’s that nobody wants to actually put them on the table for criticism.
Japan of course has suffered economic stagnation for a generation (25 years). GDP per capita was below the UK’s in 2019 I think.
I do think more British businesses should be mechanising, although I suspect this is less to do with immigration levels and more to do with long-standing and systemic aversion to capex.
And mechanisation doesn’t really do much for large parts of the service industry (care working, retail etc) where the alternative seems more likely to be the sector shut down that you refer to rather than wage increases.
Indeed. The problem is that many people will now take being Japan as a preference.
The mechanisation issue - alot of that was tax. The French company tax system for example, is very very pro investment in machinery. The recent tax holiday on investment has had the suppliers of equipment running 3 shifts....
The problem is that we have created a situation where a large number of jobs in the economy are not capable of supporting much of a life. Living in one room of a house share as an adult? How do families work, then? etc.
From above, this looks like "Jobs the locals won't do". From below this looks like "Jobs not worth doing". Many of these jobs remind me of the story of what happens to pub landlords - it's not a job so much as a losing game, which requires a steady supply of mugs....
Comments
We are a long way from:
Modest in victory
Gracious in defeat
Taking part is what counts
It's only a game
Amateur.
The damage? Cheating. Drugs. Psychological meltdown. Hubris. Long term medical damage. Driven by money.
I was assured that GB News would lend much needed diversity to the UK’s broadcast output and would certainly not devolve into a Fox style, race-baiting, perma-war on woke.
By the way, Silvio Berlusconi can be very charming. You don't get how this works, do you?
As a second generation immigrant, married to an immigrant etc, I would say that the problem came from loss of control of process combined with a stubborn refusal to understand that there could be any downsides.
I have done very very well out of mass economic migration. Other people, less so.
Due to the structure of the world economy and society, there is now and will be for the foreseeable future a shortage of skilled people. While China and India are opening new universities at a rate of knots, they are barely keeping up with internal demand as their economies shift to services. This means, that for the educated, immigration can't do much to reduce wages or working conditions.
The view further down the social ladder is very different.
Isn’t the football ending the reason for the drop off?
She’s screwed up so much she should be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong.
For good reasons or otherwise we seem to have done ourselves some severe psychological damage or at least implanted in our psyche something that will take some time to expunge.
But then again, like face veils, they are not my cup of tea but if people want to continue to wear a face mask as they are cycling on their own through a park why should I give a ****.
This is the largest number of drug-related deaths since records began in 1996.
....
- Scotland’s drug-death rate continues to be over 3½ times that for the UK as a whole, and higher than that of any European country.
https://twitter.com/Dennynews/status/1421026230263062531?s=20
I think it is great that people wear them to allay others' concerns.
My concern is that a nation wearing facemasks is sometimes perceived to be harmless. My contention is that such a situation has a degree of psychological harm in itself.
Why should openness of borders, or the insoluble issue of refugees be any different?
The same word is being used, to describe two very different issues.
Absolutely not ok if children or non-consenting adults are forced or coerced into B.
Vanishingly few well-adjusted adults would choose B. B is idiotic for all but a tiny, tiny fraction of the adult population.
okey dokey.
I did watch it for the first couple of days but the sets, the presenters and most everything about it was a turn off
I understand Farage is now improving its ratings and to me that is extremely depressing and is just another reason for me to keep it switched off
There is also a stubborn refusal to talk about the upsides of immigration on the other side.
The truly bright almost always go rogue.
okey dokey.
Numbers not masking in the shops is creeping up.
In about 1999, I watched the England football team play someone or other (Poland?) in a pub in Pitlochry. There was quite a crowd, but it was a quiet crowd. Though the crowd got gradually louder as the match went on as it gradually dawned on us that we were pretty much all English.
I'd say the same thing is happening in shops. People are masking not out of any keenness to mask or belief that it is the right thing to do, but because they see everyone else doing so. But as it becomes gradually ore common to see people not masking, all those masking purely to fit in will start de-masking. By the end of August, I reckon it'll be less than 50% in Tesco in Sale (which I am taking as the benchmark); by the end of Septmeber less than 20%.
They've already taken down the signs asking you to mask when you come in and the signs restricting you to one family per lift. Though they still have the tannoys repeatedly asking you to wear one.
Theses are a few of my favourite things
Verstappen's driven hard but fair this year, and Hamilton's largely done the same. But the error here was Hamilton's. If Verstappen had swerved then I'd say otherwise, but he just turned.
As long as you believe all is fine and any negative consequences (ie psychological damage - it is the same thing what else would it be? Extra littering?) then everyone else should be as you are and show some backbone.
Have I got that right?
These are a few of my favourite things
Said problems seem to correlate highly with Nigel Farage’s media career.
Anyone who think seaborne refugees is the number 1 problem facing this country needs to give their heads a wobble.
Sadly that now appears to be 40% of the decaying gerontocracy formerly known as the U.K.
If you have a beef however with immigration from the rest of the world, scenes from the south coast show that this is still clearly an issue, Brexit or no Brexit.
Its very liberating. I encourage PBers to come to Hackney and experience freedom once more.
The advocates of mass economic migration have to understand that there are alternatives. Simply repeating that "the economy will demand it" is to ignore the politics.
You and I might not like the results, but that does not mean that they are not possible.
TOOO RECKLESS......MASSIVE GAMBLE.......COULD RESULT IN A STARMER VARIANT.....
I have no issue with immigration when the economy needs it and most immigrants including the 6 million EU citizens now adopting settled status are most welcome
However, the terrible dangers migrants face at the hands of smugglers pushing their boats out into the channel with no care for their lives, including the children amongst them, is wrong on every level and it does need to be stopped, though France should be ashamed at its own half hearted attempts on their side
Patel just talks tough but I just do not see anything changing in the near future and it is extremely depressing
My point was and is that a nation wearing masks is not costless. Just because you or Joe Bloggs or @FeersumEnjineeya don't see it as a great hardship doesn't mean there isn't a significant number of people who are affected by it.
- surely the ability to deal with this sort of thing is a devolved issue?
- surely if it was a result of being in the union then drug deaths would be similar across all four nations?
The force of will involved is quite staggering. Nietzschian conquest of the self....
Surely, the stereotypical 'woke' approach to sport would be 'down with competition - everyone's a winner'?
Or have I once again misunderstood what I should be thinking as card-carrying Wokist?
2. Glasgow has long had a massive, deep-rooted issue with drug abuse.
Having said that, I view the issue as an affront to our claims to be a first world nation. The issue ought to be much higher up the radar nationally.
It’s far more important that a few hundred boat people.
- Increases in rates of pay (often linked with mechanisation)
- Shutting down sectors that can't run without cheap labour.
- Acceptance of long term labour shortage, in various areas, leading to a shortage of supply.
If you don't believe me, go look at Japan.
By about March 2022, if we don't have a disaster, a new consensus and set of conventions will have emerged. And a small number of people (I know one or two) will have become hermits.
That Red Bull are still bleating about it is just stupid. They had the faster car. Again. On a Mercedes track. Focus on winning the titles fairly instead of whining. We want racing drivers to go at each other with full commitment. It wasn't a ludicrous or dangerous move.
It isn't implied, it is the stated aim. Everyone is a winner in that they get funded to do a sport, even if the output is less "winners" in actual competition.
Single frame photos demonstrate nothing other than Hamilton had significant overlap going in to the corner. Using them to litigate a dynamic process is just silly.
Even when 1500 patients with Covid were croaking in Britain per day, I didn't see a single other customer in the supermarket I go to wash their hands when they came out of the shop. They were all right doing it when they went in, because a sign told them to, probably in kindergarten singalong sloganese. Got to wonder how they think items find their way onto shelves without people touching them.
Lying in cabinet and making it fail
Bullying my staff until they're weeping
These are a few of my favourite things
… the Global Times, which said “the very idea of a British presence in the South China Sea is dangerous. If London tries to establish a military presence in the region with geopolitical significance, it will only disrupt the status quo in the region … And if there is any real action against China, it is looking for a defeat.”
Later this year, the UK will also permanently assign two warships to the region.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/30/china-royal-navy-south-china-sea-warning-beijing
Brexit, Covid, Debt, Clown.
What next? Cold War?
Second point to my mind is that it is mainly a problem of deprivation and I am sure in certain places in other parts of UK they have similar problems.
National disgrace regardless and a huge waste of people and resources.
I cannot imagine a circumstance in which I would keep my mask on a moment more than necessary. I find it horrible. I can't think about anything else while wearing it apart from removing it. But my mother-in-law - no cowerer she - will quite blithely walk around wearing hers for minutes after she is out of the shop because she has genuinely forgotten to remove it.
To clarify my position: Yes, I think mask-wearing will probably go on for somewhat longer than necessary and in circumstances where it is not necessary, and that this may be detrimental for some people. But no, I don't think this a sign of severe psychological damage. That would be a gross exaggeration. Also, I think mask-wearing will peter out once cases and deaths have dropped to low levels.
Of course, this may be why someone should hold a brolley for him, but its look like servant work.
Japan of course has suffered economic stagnation for a generation (25 years). GDP per capita was below the UK’s in 2019 I think.
I do think more British businesses should be mechanising, although I suspect this is less to do with immigration levels and more to do with long-standing and systemic aversion to capex.
And mechanisation doesn’t really do much for large parts of the service industry (care working, retail etc) where the alternative seems more likely to be the sector shut down that you refer to rather than wage increases.
The explanation this morning from the thinking person on the box was that 80% - 37 from 45 - are at their first Olympics was convincing. I can live with all those 4th places, looking forward to next time.
There's a grey area between one car being clearly ahead and the other having got in front to claim the corner, and no amount of rules can police that - particularly since drivers have mere fractions of a second to make decisions. Attempting a frame by frame reconstruction after the event is just unrealistic.
Who cares?
It’s sad that many of my fellow Boris-haters should try to attack him on this.
This is Boris. Boris brollies gonna buckle.
The evidence is limited - a bit like the debate over children there's no evidence of vaccine harm and no likely mechanism for it, but not much strong evidence of Covid harm either. The most robust finding so far seems to be increased risk of pre-term delivery for mothers who have had Covid (and possibly low birth weight, but that could just be due to increased risk of pre-term) and possibly increased risks to pregnant women infected with Covid compared to general population. Infections have long been linked with pre-term birth, so not a surprise if the evidence supports that.
Midwives are often quite anti-intervention and pro letting nature take its course. That was partly a (justified) reaction against the increased medicalisation of childbirth over a few decades, but the Royal College changed guidance a bit after some cases of pursuing a 'natural' birth ending badly. Our midwife for second birth strongly pushed for a home birth. We declined, being even with blue lights up to 45 minutes from hospital - we'd have been open to it if much closer - probably just as well as we would, if at home, have ended up doing that journey in a rush.
We'd have gone ahead with vaccination, even had my wife been pregnant, but it's not a black and white call. Our next door neighbour is delaying hers and I respect that decision (and hope she avoids infection until vaccinated after giving birth so she doesn't get to test out whether it was a good call).
If legislation is an issue - as Sturgeon claims - why are deaths in rUK - with the same legislation - less than a third of Scotland's?
https://twitter.com/le_figaro/status/1420625290343092229
The mechanisation issue - alot of that was tax. The French company tax system for example, is very very pro investment in machinery. The recent tax holiday on investment has had the suppliers of equipment running 3 shifts....
The problem is that we have created a situation where a large number of jobs in the economy are not capable of supporting much of a life. Living in one room of a house share as an adult? How do families work, then? etc.
From above, this looks like "Jobs the locals won't do". From below this looks like "Jobs not worth doing". Many of these jobs remind me of the story of what happens to pub landlords - it's not a job so much as a losing game, which requires a steady supply of mugs....